1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic media dispenser, and more particularly, to a customer access apparatus for an automatic media dispenser to which the customer can have access for putting in and taking out the media.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A term of “media” used herein refers to sheets, for example, bills, checks, tickets, certificates and the like which have a thickness remarkably smaller than a width or length.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a customer access apparatus for an automatic media dispenser according to the prior art. Referring to this figure, the automatic media dispenser 1 comprises a media storage box (not shown), a feed module (not shown) for picking up media M from the media storage box and conveying the taken-out media, a delivery module 3 for conveying the media M that have passed through the feed module, and a customer access apparatus 10 (indicated by dotted lines) for collecting the media M that have passed through the delivery module 3 and providing the collected media to the customer. The delivery module 3, the feed module and the like utilize a conveying belt 5, a belt 7 and the like to convey the media M.
Here, the configuration of the customer access apparatus 10 will be described as follows. A frame 12 defines an external appearance of the customer access apparatus 10. A predetermined space is defined in the customer access apparatus 10 by means of the frame 12. A door 14 is installed on the frame 12 and serves to selectively cover the space in the customer access apparatus 10. That is, the door 14 selectively closes an inlet 13 formed on a front surface of the customer access apparatus 10. The door 14 is driven by means of a door motor 15 installed at the center of rotation thereof. The door motor 15 is operated in a forward or reverse direction to open or close the door 14.
A base tray 16 is installed within the space that is opened and closed by the door 14. The base tray 16 is generally shaped as a rectangular plate, and the base tray 16 are installed to the frame 12 to be pivoted on a hinge shaft 17. Driving protrusions 17′ are formed at intermediate portions on both sides of the base tray 16. The protrusions 17′ are guided along guide channels 18 formed on the frame 12.
A tray motor 20 for driving the base tray 16 is provided on the frame 12. A driving gear 21 is provided on a rotational shaft of the tray motor 20, and a driven gear 22 is provided to be meshed with the driving gear 21. A driving link 24 is connected to the driven gear 22. The driving link 24 is pivoted on the center of rotation of the driven gear 22. A cooperation slot 24′ in which the driving protrusion 17′ of the base tray 16 is inserted and guided is formed on a free end of the driving link 24. For reference, the mechanism for driving the base tray 16 is provided on each side of the base tray 16.
A recovery box 26 for collecting the media M to be returned is provided at a lower portion of the customer access apparatus 10. The media M that have been provided to but not taken by the customer are collected and stored in the recovery box 26.
Reference numeral 28 denotes a sensor for sensing an initial position of the base tray 16 and a position to which the base tray 16 is returned after the media M in the base tray are emptied out into the recovery box 26, and reference numeral 28′ denotes a sensor for sensing a state where the base tray 16 has been completely rotated for emptying out the medium M received therein.
The media dispenser according to the prior art so configured is operated as follow.
The media M that have been delivered from the media storage box through the feed module and the delivery module 3 are stacked on the base tray 16. When a desired amount of the media M is stacked on the base tray 16, the door motor 15 is driven to open the door 14. If the door 14 is rotated and moved upward, the inlet 13 is opened. Thus, the customer can have access to the media M stacked on the base tray 16.
However, if the customer does not take the media M stacked on the base tray 16 in a specific time, the door 14 is closed and the media M stacked on the base tray 16 are sent into the recovery box 26. That is, after the door 14 has been closed, the tray motor 20 is driven to rotate the driving link 24 counterclockwise (in FIG. 1) so that the base tray 16 can be pivoted on the hinge shaft 17. At this time, as the driving link 24 is operated, the driving protrusions 17′ are moved along both the slot 24′ and the guide channel 18 to cause the base tray 16 to be pivoted on the hinge shaft.
The base tray 16 continues to pivot until the sensor 28′ senses the rotation of the base tray 16, and the media M fall down into the recovery box 26 as the base tray 16 is rotated. Once the sensor 28′ senses the rotation of the base tray 16, the tray motor 20 is operated in an opposite direction. As the tray motor 20 is operated in the opposite direction, the base tray 16 is pivoted counterclockwise on the hinge shaft 17 until the sensor 28 senses the rotation of the base tray. In this state, the media M conveyed from the feed module and the delivery module 3 can be received in the base tray 16.
However, the aforementioned prior art has the following problems.
In the related art customer access apparatus 10, the customer can take the media M received therein if the door 14 installed at the inlet 13 should be opened. That is, there is an inconvenience in that the customer must put his/her hand into the customer access apparatus 10 to take out the media M. However, some customers may be reluctant to put his/her hand into the customer access apparatus 10.
Further, since there are the media M in the customer access apparatus 10, the customer should carefully examine the interior of the customer access apparatus 10 through the inlet 13 to prevent some media from remaining in the customer access apparatus 10.
Furthermore, since the related art customer access apparatus 10 is not used in depositing the media M, the apparatus cannot provide the customer with a variety of functions. Although the related art customer access apparatus 10 has the structure that can deposit the media M, the customer must put the media M deep into the customer access apparatus through the inlet 13 to deposit the media M. Therefore, due to a variety of conditions such as the physical constitution of the customer, the media M received in the customer access apparatus 10 cannot be properly arranged. In such a case, the media M may be caught to a conveying path in the process of receiving the media M, and thus, the apparatus can be out of order.
Meanwhile, in the related art customer access apparatus, the media M that have not yet taken by the customer fall down into the recovery box 26 at the same time, and thus, the media M cannot be provided to the customer. That is, to use again the collected media M in the automatic media dispenser, the clerk should take out the media M from the automatic media dispenser, confirm the number of the media and puts the media into a media cassette.